TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th February, 2020) Israel has abolished the ease of restrictions for the Gaza Strip after launches of rockets and incendiary balloons from the region, the coordinator of the Israeli government's activities in the Palestinian territories said on Sunday.
On Saturday, the Israeli military said that two rockets had been fired from Gaza in the evening. The Jewish state responded with airstrikes against Hamas targets. The fire exchange followed media reports suggesting that the sides had struck a ceasefire deal, with Hamas pledging to halt attacks and Israel easing certain restrictions for Gaza.
"After rocket launches and continued launches of [incendiary] balloons from the Gaza Strip, it was decided to cancel civil steps that were planned to be carried out in this area, including an expansion of the permitted fishing area, issuance of 500 trade permits and cement imports," Kamil Abu Rukun said.
Further policy would be determined based on an operational assessment of the situation in the region, he added.
The Palestinian fishermen's trade union confirmed to Sputnik that the permit to expand the fishing area off the Gaza Strip's coast from nine to 15 nautical miles had been revoked just a day after it had been issued.
In accordance with the Oslo Accords, Israel controls the fishing area off the Gaza Strip's coast. The Gaza authorities believe that Israel uses the fishing area as a means of putting pressure on the Palestinians during periods of escalation.
